1. Field
The present application relates generally to the operation of communication systems, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for power measurement in a communication system.
2. Background
Data networks, such as wireless communication networks, have to trade off between services customized for a single terminal and services provided to a large number of terminals. For example, the distribution of multimedia content to a large number of resource limited portable devices (subscribers) is a complicated problem. Therefore, it is very important for network administrators, content retailers, and service providers to have a way to distribute content and/or other network services in a fast and efficient manner and in such a way as to increase bandwidth utilization and power efficiency.
In current content delivery/media distribution systems, real time and non real time services are packed into a transmission frame and delivered to devices on a network. For example, a communication network may utilize Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) to provide communications between a network server and one or more mobile devices. This technology provides a transmission frame having data slots that are packed with services to be delivered over a distribution network as a transmit waveform.
The performance of a communication system may depend on the performance of the communication channel between the network and a device. To characterize this performance, it is desirable to measure the power at a receiving device. For example, measuring the power received by a device over a selected frequency band may be used to facilitate field testing or other functions related to the operation or improved performance of the device or communication system. Unfortunately, conventional devices operate to acquire network signaling before being able to perform any type of power measurement. However, it would be useful for a device to be able to perform power measurements without first acquiring network signaling. This would allow a device to perform power measurements without being required to register with a network or to meet other network pre-conditions. For example, it would be useful for a device to be able to identify external interference in the field and/or noise and interference from within the device when the network is turned off.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a system that operates to allow a device that operates to communicate over a network to perform power measurements without having to acquire any network signaling structure.